WIDRC Project: Development of a Strategy Paper on Customer-Owned Renewable Natural Gas
Interconnection Issues“The key to utilizing renewable natural gas as a pipeline fuel is theclear delineation of issues, methods and technical solutions formaking its use safely interchangeable with the conventional natural gas- without unduly increasing the maintenance burden on pipeline andend-use systems.” – from proposal
1) Assemble a WIDRC workgroup
2) Collect background information
3) Prepare first draft strategy paper
4) Use workgroup to zero in on important issues
5) Produce final strategy paper
6) Prepare slideshow of process and results
Average Price of Natural Gas in the U.S.; 2007 - 2009
Source: EIA Natural Gas Monthly, November 2010
Farm Digesters
Industrial Digesters
Municipal Wastewater Digesters
Biogas Production
Landfill Gas
Biomass Gasification
Digester
Compressor Drying Cleaning,Conditioning
andOdorizing
Compressor
PipelineCH4
H2S CO2etc.
Digester Biogas to Pipeline Quality Methane
Biogas
H2O
Huckabay Ridge - Stephenville, TX--- pipeline injection of renewable natural gas ---
• 10,000 cows contributingto anaerobic digester
• 6,350,000 therms/year• pipeline RNG injection• gas sales to PG&E
Photo courtesy Microgy, Inc.
Developed by Microgy, Inc.(Environmental Power Corporation)Sold in 2010 toEM Biogas, LLC (Element Markets, LLC)
Producer Gas (via Gasification) to Pipeline Quality Methane
BiomassGasifier
Cleaning,Conditioning
andOdorizing
Dryingand
Odorizing
H2O
MethanatorH2 + CO CH4
PipelineCH4
Producer Gas:H2, CO,
CO2, H2O,CH4, H2S andother alkanes
H2S, CO2Tars, etc.
Compressor
Gas Treatment Methods
Water Removal• water trap or sump (liquid)• dehumidification (water vapor)
Hydrogen Sulfide Removal• iron sponge• water scrubbing (water column absorption)• oxygen injection• activated carbon
Carbon Dioxide Removal• pressure swing adsorption (PSA)• water scrubbing (water column absorption)• molecular sieves• membranes
Gas Treatment Methods
absorption desorption
dryer
water
compressor
CO2+
H2S
CH4+
water
biogas
CH4
Water Scrubbingcarbon dioxideand hydrogen
sulfide removal
Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) transported from Emerald Dairy in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transport trailer
Chromatograph ReportBaldwin-Wisc stream 1 on 10/26/2007 12:37:23
MolPct BTUGross RelDensC6+ 50/50/00 0.0000 0.00 0.0000PROPANE 0.0000 0.00 0.0000i-BUTANE 0.0000 0.00 0.0000n-BUTANE 0.0000 0.00 0.0000NEOPENTANE 0.0000 0.00 0.0000i-PENTANE 0.0000 0.00 0.0000n-PENTANE 0.0000 0.00 0.0000NITROGEN 2.3909 0.00 0.0231METHANE 96.8446 980.40 0.5365CARBON DIOXIDE 0.7608 0.00 0.0116ETHANE 37.2 PPM 0.07 0.0000TOTAL 100.0000 980.46 0.5712
Compressibility Factor 1.0019
Heating Value Gross BTU Dry 982.36
Relative Density Gas Corr. 0.5721
Total Unnormalized Conc. 99.370
WOBBE Index 1298.79
Technical Issues Category:• Dew Point• Heating Value (HHV)• Gas Composition• Interchangeability Index• Hazardous Substances• Pressure• Temperature• Pipeline Mixing• Operational Requirements
Business Issues Category:• Insurance• Warranty• Indemnification• Metering
Partial List of Interconnection Issues
Biogas Utilization
H2O
liquid watercondensate
return
H2Sremovalsystem
digester
dehumidificationchiller
CH4
CO2
pipelinemethane
carbondioxide
stripping
vehiclefuel
enginegenerator
waterheating
spaceheating
CO2CH4 +
absorptionchilling
Indicators of Interchangeability
Wobbe IndexW = HV / √G where HV = gross heating value/scf
G = relative density of gas(ratio of density of gas to density of air @STP)
• The thermal burner load is directly related to the Wobbe index of a gas.• The air supply to the combustion zone is independent of thegas composition.
• The impact of gas quality is determined by the Wobbe index• Simple, easy to use• Common practice in other countries
Other IndicatorsAGA, Weaver Index and Methane Number• Provide better description of incomplete combustion• Complex, not easy to use• Provide a relative adjustment to Wobbe index
ANR Pipeline Company– Physical and Chemical Properties or Characteristics of Interest -
Property or Characteristic Symbol Specified in TariffHigh Heating Value HHV YesLow Heating Value LHV YesTemperature T YesWater H2O YesHydrocarbon Dewpoint DHC Under Review
Nitrogen N2 YesCarbon Dioxide CO2 YesOxygen O2 YesTotal Sulfide STOT YesHydrogen Sulfide H2S YesParticulates YesOther Solids or Liquids Yes
California Public Utilities Commissions - California Rule 30
Southern California Gas Company- Rule No. 30Transportation of Customer-Owned Gas
Pipeline Mixing
LNG Interchangeability/Gas Quality: Results of the National EnergyTechnology Laboratory’s Research for the FERC on Natural Gas Qualityand InterchangeabilityU.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory
DOE/NETL-2007/1290; June 2007
How long will it take to mix customer-owned methanewith pipeline natural gas in a pipeline?
Computational fluid dynamics simulations and calculations using an analytical formula were used to illustrate:
• continuous (steady) cross-sectional mixing and• transient axial mixing
of gases in pipe junctions.
The pressure and flow volume of the utility gas pipeline willinfluence the degree of natural gas mixing with customer-owned methane.
How long will it take to mix customer-owned methanewith pipeline natural gas in a pipeline?
It has been shown that steady injection of a gas into a flowingNG pipeline would mix to an average composition in a relativelyshort distance; typically within 100 pipe diameters.
• Steady state gas blending is completed in a relatively short distance.
It has also been shown that during transient injection, new and original gas compositions would move through the pipeline as discretepackets of gas.
• Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),parts 190, 191, 192, and 199
• Public Service Commission of Wisconsin:PSC 133, 134 and 135
• Wisconsin Electrical Code Part 1 and 2 (NEC & NESC compliant)
• American Gas Association Report No. 4A
• American Gas Association Research Bulletin No. 36
Interconnection Issues- Short List of Some Applicable Standards
“Pipeline Quality Biomethane: North American GuidanceDocument for Introduction of Dairy Waste DerivedBiomethane Into Existing Natural Gas Networks”Final Reports – Tasks 1,2 and 3Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IllinoisReport No. GTI-09/0011; September 30, 2009
Task 1: Technology Investigation and Assessment
Task 2: Develop laboratory testing program to evaluate raw biogas
Task 3: Prepare guidance document with reference to AGA Report 4A“Natural Gas Contract Measurement and Quality Clauses”
NOTICE:
This presentation is the property of the Wisconsin DistributedResources Collaborative (WIDRC).
Material in this presentation does not imply a recommendationor endorsement of any product or service, by the WIDRC or anymember of WIDRC. The WIDRC, or any member of WIDRC,is not responsible for inaccurate or incomplete data in thispresentation.